Posted on: Thursday, August 1, 2002

Waikiki fire battalion chief suspended, transferred

Advertiser Staff

Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi yesterday suspended Battalion Chief James Arciero and ordered him transferred from the Waikiki fire station after Arciero admitted to twice having consensual sex with a woman at the station while on duty.

No one made a formal complaint about the breach of fire house rules of conduct, but Arciero admitted to the sexual activity after Leonardi questioned him yesterday about allegations contained in a letter that was anonymously faxed to newspapers and television stations Tuesday evening.

"Battalion Chief James Arciero is a career firefighter as well as a trusted chief officer," Leonardi said. "He admits to his error in judgment and willingly accepts the consequences."

The letter stated that it had been sent by the wife of a firefighter assigned to the station.

Arciero, 53, offered to resign but Leonardi decided to instead suspend him for three work shifts and transfer him to another work assignment.

Arciero, a widower, joined the Fire Department in 1976 and was promoted to Battalion Chief in 1998.

He took the rest of yesterday off and could not be reached for comment at his home. Out of concern that the matter be put to rest quickly, he made the admission and voluntarily waived an employee confidentiality requirement that would have precluded Leonardi from publicly discussing the case, officials said.